Monday, April 18, 2016

It's long past time to make this official: UR has completed its mission.

If you're discovering UR just now and don't feel like wading through a 2007-era Blogger template, some of the more salient pieces are available as Kindle books, here. Start with the Open Letter or the Gentle Introduction.

If you're here because you clicked on one of those clickbait pieces and you're horrified, don't be afraid! All your conditioning is telling you to run very fast in the opposite direction. That's normal. It's a healthy instinct. Honestly, there's quite a solid case for taking the blue pill. It's a vitamin. It's good for you. Whatever is in that red pill, it's definitely not a vitamin.

And let's not just dismiss the idea that you're right. So is everyone else. So is the world. "All is for the best, in this the best of all possible worlds." Still... perhaps we could try a little test?

Say the word democracy. Notice how good it sounds. Everything democratic is good. A democratic meeting, a democratic policy, a democratic giraffe... if the adjective fits the noun at all, anything you paint with it comes out shiny and bright.

Now say the word politics. Notice how bad it sounds. This person is a politician. She's being so political. These dangerous proposals would politicize US foreign policy. Every use of the word is negative. Everything you paint with it comes out sordid and mean.

But... what is democracy without politics? Is there any such thing? If there is, doesn't it sound like something North Korea would come up with? Our higher form of democracy has transcended mere politics. Uh huh. Sure. I know where you're going with that.

As objective realities — structures of governance — aren't democracy and politics in fact... synonyms? But if they're the same word, how can they have opposite connotations? How can it be that everyone knows, obviously, of course, democracy is a good thing, but politics is a bad thing?